Type 076 landing helicopter dock
The Type 076 landing helicopter dock (NATO reporting name: Yulan-class landing helicopter assault) is a class of drone-carrying amphibious assault ship for the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Compared to the Type 075, the Type 076 is significantly larger in both displacement and flight deck dimensions; it also has a CATOBAR system of electromagnetic catapult and arresting gears for operating light fixed-wing aircraft, likely unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV).
Development
In mid-2020, official request for proposals (RFP) associated with the Type 076 were discovered on the Internet. Specifications from the RFPs were for a 21 MW gas turbine and diesel powerplants, a medium-voltage direct current integrated power system, and a well deck. The specified aviation equipment included a "UAV deck", a munition elevator, a 30-ton flight deck elevator, an electromagnetic CATOBAR system for light aircraft, most likely UCAVs.
The lead ship of this class was constructed at Shanghai-based Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard, with an estimated launch date of early 2025. The lead ship was launched on 27 December 2024, with pennant number 51 and name Sichuan.
Design
The Type 076 has a full-length flight deck, an internal hangar, two large elevators on both sides, and one small elevator at the front deck section. The ship is intended to operate helicopters and UCAVs, or optionally manned aircraft. The aircraft, such as Guizhou WZ-7, Hongdu GJ-11, and Flying Dragon-2 UCAVs can be launched via an electromagnetic catapult similar in size to the one mounted on the Type 003 aircraft carrier. An arrestor is fitted on the flight deck to recover the aircraft. A floodable well deck is located at its stern, capable of launching amphibious vehicles for landing operations.
The main propulsion of the class appears to employ a gas-turbine setup; for this reason, the flight decks of the ships will have a twin-island configuration. The twin island superstructures allow one island dedicated to navigation, while the other one focusing on flight operations. Multiple self-defense and countermeasure systems are mounted around the ship, including three Type 1130 close-in weapon system (CIWS) turrets, three HQ-10 short-range missile defense systems, and four countermeasure launchers loaded with flares, chaff, and active decoys.
Type 076 is larger than the previous class, the Type 075 amphibious assault ship. The overall tonnage of the ship was estimated as 50,000 t (49,000 long tons) at full displacement by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, while Chinese state media state the ship has a displacement of "above 40,000 t (39,000 long tons)".